BOSTON – The Boston Red Sox acquired third baseman Danny Valencia from the Minnesota Twins for a minor league outfielder.

Minnesota will get Jeremias Pineda, who was playing in Class A.

The deal was announced during the Twins-Red Sox game at Fenway Park on Sunday.

Valencia, 27, hit just .198 with two homers and 17 RBI in 34 games this season. He was assigned to Triple-A Pawtucket.

“Last year he led our team in RBIs with 72. The guy can play, he’s been productive for us,” Twins assistant GM Rob Antony said. “But the situation where he got off to a slow start, we sent him down to Rochester. He’s worked very hard to his credit … But this is just a situation I think where it’s a fresh start for Danny and an opportunity to come over here.”

The 21-year old Pineda was hitting .421 with 14 stolen bases in 36 games in the Gulf Coast League this season. 

LEFT FIELDER Carl Crawford played his eighth straight game Sunday, a little over a week after Manager Bobby Valentine said the outfielder would be limited to four games in a row because of a medically mandated program.

Valentine said July 28 that Crawford would be required to rest. On the day of the trading deadline, GM Ben Cherington downplayed the notion that he’d need to be out of the lineup after a certain amount of time.

“Well, like we said, it was all part of a rehab process where they wanted to make sure he was ready to go,” Valentine said. “Once he passed those tests … we’re playing it day to day.

Then the manager joked: “Being that it’s his birthday, I’m thinking the least he should do is play today.”

Crawford turned 31 Sunday. 

VALENTINE SAID “everything is on track” for Josh Beckett to start Wednesday against Texas. 

CENTER FIELDER Jacoby Ellsbury returned to the starting lineup after resting what Valentine called a minor leg injury Saturday.

 

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